Prepare Police For Future

Opinion

It would be easy to dismiss the recent unrest in the Clermont Police Department as normal growing pains -- the kind of things that happen when a small citrus town sees itself grow by 35 percent in the past decade.

The big-box retail stores are coming. The opening of the USA Triathlon National Training Center, and its partnership with South Lake Hospital, will help define the new Clermont.

This is an important time for the city. It's a time when city officials should be charting a course for the future.

But when the city needs leaders the most, residents are finding them in short supply.

City Council members can take a step in the right direction at Tuesday's meeting by addressing the problems at the Police Department head-on.

The recent spate of suspensions and dismissals has residents rightfully concerned. Morale in the department has undoubtedly suffered, as well.

Clermont Police Chief Randall Story and City Manager Wayne Saunders should move quickly to soothe these concerns. They can do this best by standing in front of the council this week and giving an honest assessment of the state of affairs at the Police Department.

Council members should be concerned that the city has fired six officers and a dispatcher this year. They should be concerned that a department of nearly 30 officers has only one minority member and no blacks.

Story and Saunders need to assure the council that the department is competing for the best officers available.

If not, council members should review their hiring and promotion practices, as well as how their salaries compare with neighboring cities'. They also must pay more than lip service to diversity.

It's time for the city to come up with a short-term plan on how to improve the racial makeup of the department. It should mirror that of the community at large.

It's vital that council members ask tough questions of their staff members and not look at this situation as "business as usual."